China Beach
was an award winning war drama that aired from 1988 to
1991 on ABC. Although the series was a hit with
critics, the show had poor ratings. Never the less, ABC
stuck it out, ultimately producing four seasons worth of
episodes. The final season was not aired until 1991,
although it had been previously filmed and slated for
airing in 1990. The show was essentially M.A.S.H., but
from a dramatic perspective.

In essence, this series was a
Vietnam era drama about the personal issues related to
the inhabitants (doctors, nurses, soldiers, etc.) of an
American military hospital base that also included
volunteers, soldiers, and civilian personnel from many
different countries. The base was known as “Bac My An
Beach”, which served as both an evacuation hospital and
R&R stop (there was a bar on site called the “Five and
Dime”). The show would also feature the post-war lives
of the characters as they returned home. Regular
characters included Captain Colleen McMurphy (Dana
Delany), Cherry White (Nan Woods), Sam Beckett (Michael
Boatman), K.C. Koloski (Marg Helgenberber), Captain Dick
Richard (Robert Picardo), and many more.